


Gin At Morning

by MissHowdoyoudo



Series: Wish It Were Me [3]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Brotherly Love, Dead Klaus Hargreeves, Friendship, Gen, Ghost Klaus Hargreeves, Mental Health Issues, Mental Institutions, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:27:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25949572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissHowdoyoudo/pseuds/MissHowdoyoudo
Summary: Ben gets his first walk-around the institution. He meets some unexpected people.“Losing someone you love is hard, even if you still see them,” Gin wisely said. “We’ll be here for you to fall back on.”“Thanks,” Ben blushed and smiled wetly at his mush.One Shot follow-up to If Only It Were Me
Relationships: Ben Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Ben Hargreeves & Original Character(s)
Series: Wish It Were Me [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1852501
Comments: 52
Kudos: 228





	Gin At Morning

**Author's Note:**

> Been working on this one for a while now.  
> Updates might be slow rn
> 
> Edit: Check out this amazing fanart!! Thank you so much, crystalrainwing!

Today was the two month anniversary of waking up in St. Gertrude’s Hospital for the Mentally Unwell, and Ben was finally being allowed outside of his room on good behavior to be around other patients for “free time”. Klaus was excited, as they hadn’t been able to freely move about since coming here (well, Klaus could, but he didn’t leave Ben’s side for more than maybe a minute), and Klaus, being a people person, was in desperate need of others’ company. Not that he didn’t love his brother (and told him as much as he could), but he _needed_ people.

Sure, there were ghosts in the institution, but he didn’t dare try talking to them. He ignored them, for the most part, and _surprisingly_ they did the same for him. They gave him confused glances, but they left him alone.

If he had known that dying would keep the ghosts at bay, he would have done it _ages_ ago.

Of course, he wouldn't say that to Ben. He wouldn't even talk about the ghosts to Ben. His brother's guilt was still tangible, even two months later.

But, on the other hand, Ben was calm and soothed whenever Klaus was around.

If Klaus didn’t die, he wasn’t sure what would have happened to Ben. Possibilities flitted through his mind, all of them getting worse and worse the longer he dwelled on it.

He shook his head when Ben’s handler stopped in a large room filled with patients and tables. 

“This is the cafeteria that also works as a communal area for patients,” the woman said. Klaus couldn’t remember her name. Something starting with a C . . . Cindy? Cathy? Clarise? Something like that.

Ben shuffled from one foot to the other, unsure what to do with himself as Carla gestured around the room.

“You’re welcome to make friends and speak to anyone here. I would say that you aren’t allowed to speak with the children but, well, they now have a different schedule,” Clementine flipped through her notes on her clipboard, and Klaus spotted highlighted words such as _dangerous around children_ and _should be heavily monitored_. The handler raised a brow at Ben, who just twisted his fingers in his white jumper and wouldn’t look her in the eyes.

Yeah, a real danger, this one.

Klaus snorted and flitted further into the room. “Hey, Benny, you should play poker with some of these kids. It looks like they’re playing for jello.”

Ben glared at him under the black fringe of his bangs and Klaus grinned wide.

“We have games like go fish, uno, connect four, old maid, and so on,” Candace said, placing her clipboard under her arm. “Don’t be afraid to talk to people. A warden will be here shortly with lunch.”

“Ooo, playing for keeps? Looks like they’re using uno cards,” Klaus snorted.

“Do I have to?” Ben asked his handler quietly, still not looking her way. The woman (Cassandra, he could feel it, definitely a Cassandra) softened and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“There are some quiet corners where you can read, if you prefer,” Caitlyn (he knew he was getting close) pointed to a nook at the far end of the room. There were some books strewn about the tables, but nothing like the thick novels that Ben loved reading.

Klaus pouted when Ben’s face lit up. “Nooo, Ben! That’s so _boring_! Let's meet some people and talk to someone other than a shrink.”

“Easy for you to say,” Ben whispered as he passed him on his way to the tables. “You’ve always been a people person.”

“But they’re a bunch of crazies!” Klaus laughed. “Don’t you wanna know what they’re thinking?”

“I’d really rather not,” Ben frowned at him. “Also, you heard Doctor Lewis. You shouldn’t call these people crazy. It’s really rude.”

Klaus rolled his eyes. “Fine, fine. I’m sorry. Still! They must be fun at parties.” Ben made no move to change his direction, and Klaus whined. “Come _ooon_ , Ben! Live a little.”

“I’m living just fine, thanks,” Ben sat down in a chair and grabbed the first book he could, eyes greedily moving over the cover. He pouted but opened the book nonetheless. “Shame they don’t have any classics. Looks like all of it is nonfiction.”

Klaus knew that wouldn’t stop Ben, but it made _him_ bored out of his mind. “If there’s no fiction, then _what’s the point_?”

Ben glared over the top of the book. The cover showed a lake or something and it had to do with paddles? _Bor-ring_!

“Well, considering I’ve only had _you_ for company, I think this is an improvement,” Ben said. Klaus gasped and held a hand to his chest.

“Benny. Benji. My flesh and blood. My loving, living brother. Mein bruder!”

Ben ignored him, face already buried deep in his dumb book. Klaus groaned and flopped around like a fish on the table in front of him. When Ben made no indication that he did anything, Klaus moaned louder and flailed his arms around.

Nothing.

Well, fine then.

He moaned, but this time in a much more sensual way. He flipped onto his stomach and rubbed against the table, though he was just going through it. 

Ben’s fingers tightened around the book, and Klaus kicked it up a notch.

“ _Oh_ ,” he cried, thrusting forward.

Ben’s teeth ground together and he hunched forward as much as he could.

Klaus grabbed at his crotch and Ben slammed the book down.

“Will you _knock it off_?”

Klaus cackled and rolled off the table. “Will you pay attention to me now?”

Ben hissed, and Klaus laughed harder.

“You’re face! Oh man, I wish I had a camera--”

“You good, man?” a voice interrupted Klaus, and he looked up to see . . . well, he couldn’t tell just what gender the person was, but man were they _gorgeous_.

Dark, smooth skin like polished wood was framed with long, thin blonde braids, some twisted into a bun atop their head and the rest falling past their shoulders and congregating at the hips. Their lips, large and puckered, lifted in a curious grin that only highlighted their strong, sharp jaw. The white jumper all the patients wore hid a massive scar that ran from the person’s neck and down below the collar, but there were hundreds more that Klaus could see on their arms, legs, face, everywhere. The only item the person was wearing outside the heart band aid on their nose was a little Star of David necklace.

Klaus sat up and leaned his chin on his hands. “ _Wow_ , and who’s this beauty?” he purred.

Ben gave him a look that said _be quiet_ , as if this hot stranger could hear him. Klaus chuckled.

“Uh, yes,” Ben turned his attention to the person, giving them a polite smile. “Sorry. My brother is being a nuisance.”

Klaus stuck out his tongue, and Ben mirrored him.

The person looked in the direction Ben had, missing Klaus by about a foot, and raised an eyebrow.

“Your brother?” they asked.

Ben shrugged and leaned back in his chair. “Doctors say I hallucinate my dead brother.”

“Ah,” they put their hands in white pants pockets, leaning back on their heels. “Well, it’s fine.” They sat in a chair opposite Ben and held out a warm brown hand covered in faint white scars. “I’m Gin.”

Ben’s brows climbed into his hairline but he took the hand and gave it a firm shake. “Ben.”

“Gorgeous god, more like,” Klaus hummed, batting his lashes at Gin. “I bet you could treat me _right_ \--”

“Klaus,” Ben gestured to him, and Klaus perked up. “My brother.”

Gin glanced his way again, and gave a small smile. “Nice to meet you, Klaus.”

Their voice was sultry and smooth, and Klaus melted on the spot. “Oh _hell_ . . .”

“Klaus thinks you’re really handsome,” Ben translated with a snort. “Or, beautiful?”

Gin flapped a hand. “Either way. I don’t have a preference. I’m just Gin.”

“Non binary,” Klaus grinned. “I can dig that.”

Ben threw him a confused look, and Klaus rolled his eyes. “Non binary basically means Gin doesn’t identify as male or female. They just are. Probably go by gender neutral pronouns, too. This is why you need to get out more, Benny! ”

“It’s not like I have anywhere to go,” Ben grumbled.

Gin shrugged. “Neither do any of the rest of us. All the more reason to stick together, right?”

Klaus hummed his approval of the statement.

“I guess so,” Ben fiddled with his jumper sleeves, a light blush dusting his cheeks. “So, what brought you over here?”

“Well, you were all alone, and I hadn’t seen you around before. Mostly I was curious, but I also thought maybe you’d like to chat.” Gin brought their legs up and tucked them under themself. “Especially since you slammed that book down rather quickly.”

Ben’s blush grew and Klaus chuckled into his fist. “That was Klaus’s fault. Sorry.”

Gin’s grin turned mischievous. “Oh, really? He do something to upset you?”

“Go on, tell them,” Klaus snickered. “Give _all_ the gritty details.”

“I’d rather not,” Ben growled at him. “You’re disgusting, you know that?”

Klaus laughed.

Gin chuckled along, though they had no idea what Klaus had done. Klaus assumed they could get a general idea. “Well, if reading isn’t working and Klaus is being a bother, why not join me and my friends for lunch?”

“Oh!” Klaus clapped his hands. “Yes! Let’s go meet their friends!”

Ben hesitated. “I don’t know . . .”

Gin held up their hands. “No pressure. But it’s more fun to eat and talk to someone, rather than eat all alone, brother aside.”

Ben glanced at Klaus, who nodded his head so hard he thought if he were alive he’d have a headache. The Asian boy sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair.

“How many friends?” he asked shyly. “I’m not very good around people, that’s more Klaus’s area.”

Gin grinned wide. “Just two. I think you’ll really like them.” They stood and held out a hand for Ben to take. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to them.”

Ben gave them a hesitant smile and took their hand, and Klaus cheered.

Walking away from the corner filled with books, Gin led them towards an occupied table. Two people sat at it, a half-Asian boy and a Caucasian girl with choppy brown hair. They looked up as they came closer, and the boy grinned at Gin.

“Hey, was wondering where you went,” he said as he pushed up thick glasses towards bushy black brows. A bit of stubble grew along his jawline, and he scratched at it absently. “They said lunch was coming in a few minutes.”

“Who’s he?” the girl asked, jutting her chin at Ben. Ben curled further into himself at the attention.

“Guys, meet Ben,” Gin gestured to the shy boy and Klaus cooed. 

“My baby boy, making friends,” he wiped away a fake tear.

Ben frowned at him.

“Oh, and Klaus,” Gin remembered, and Klaus’s dead heart warmed. “Ben’s brother.”

“Guten tag!” Klaus waved excitedly.

“He, uh, says hi,” Ben said.

The girl raised a brow and the boy shoved his glasses up again.

“Meet Chuck and Beth,” Gin introduced first the boy, then the girl. Chuck nodded, and Beth folded her arms over her chest.

“Lydia, actually,” Beth (Lydia?) said.

“Oh,” Gin blinked. “Everything alright?”

Lydia shrugged, picking at her nails in seemingly nonchalance, but she kept her eyes locked on Ben. “Don’t know him,” was the only explanation.

“Um,” Ben picked at the jumper. “Sorry?”

Gin patted his shoulder and showed him to a seat. Klaus noticed it was opposite Lydia, who relaxed marginally now that Ben was seated. “Don’t worry about it,” Gin whispered before taking the seat next to Ben and opposite Chuck.

“So, Ben,” Chuck folded his hands in front of himself. “What do you know about Star Trek?”

“Oh my--” Lydia rolled her eyes and let out a long suffering sigh. “Why are you such a _nerd_?”

Chuck stuck out his tongue at Lydia, who snorted at the childish gesture.

“I . . . don’t know what that is,” Ben admitted, sheepish. He looked to Klaus for help, but Klaus just shrugged.

“Hell if I know. Maybe it’s one of those things that daddy dearest didn’t let us near for fear it would _corrupt us_.”

“You don’t _know_ ,” Chuck’s jaw dropped, and Lydia groaned.

“Now you’ve done it,” she huffed. “He won’t shut up no matter how hard we try. Gin,” she waved to the godlike person, who smiled prettily at her.

“Yes?”

“Can we skip lunch and come back another day? I know Beth is too nice to say anything, but if I hear one more Picard versus James Kirk rant I might break something.”

Klaus tilted his head. Lydia spoke like Beth was a separate person. Interesting. He wanted more detail about that.

“You’ve never seen, read, or even _heard_ of Star Trek?” Chuck went on.

Ben shook his head, concern in his eyes. “Sh-Should I?”

Chuck reached forward, grasping Ben’s hands in his own, much to the huge surprise of both Lydia and Gin. “Don’t worry. I will guide you on the path of greatness.”

“He’s . . . touching him?” Lydia’s brows rose.

Ben squirmed a little at the unfamiliar touch, but he gave Chuck a small smile. “Thanks . . . I guess?”

Chuck nodded, seeming appeased by the confirmation, and patted Ben’s hands twice before he let go like they were hot potatoes, and whipped out a little bottle from his pants pocket.

“Oh, okay,” Lydia relaxed again. “Thought for a second the world was going crazy.”

Chuck squirted a heavy amount of . . . Klaus was pretty sure that was hand sanitizer, all over both hands and he rubbed them furiously together and all up his arms. Ben stared incredulously, and Klaus huffed out a nervous laugh.

“Didn’t know you were carrying a disease, Benny,” Klaus joked. Even he knew that one fell flat, despite the glare Ben threw his way.

Chuck saw the worried look Ben gave and he shoved his glasses up again. “Don’t worry, it’s not just you. I don’t like touching people. So many _germs_ , and nobody even realizes!”

“Where’d you get the sanitizer, Chuck?” Gin asked curiously. “Didn’t they suspend you from the stuff after the, uh, _last_ incident?”

At that, Chuck grinned sheepishly. Klaus wanted to know what the “last incident” was. “Okay, so I don’t really know _how_ it happens, but sometimes I can make stuff appear?”

“Oh for--” Lydia rolled her eyes.

“It’s true!” Chuck defended himself. “Like, it comes out of my skin or something.”

“Like sweat?” Gin asked.

Chuck shuddered. “Don’t. That makes it sound disgusting.”

Klaus and Ben shared a heavy glance.

“So, what, you make hand sanitizer appear out of your skin?” Lydia snorted. “What a useless power.”

“I could do other things too! I’m sure of it,” he argued. 

“A power, you say,” Gin chuckled and put their foot up on the table. “Like those Umbrella kids?”

Ben gulped and Klaus laughed. “Wow, okay. Ben, you gonna tell them?”

“Shut up, Klaus,” Ben muttered. Lydia looked at him funny.

“Well, maybe,” Chuck shrugged. “Why do only they get the superpowers, you know?”

“Did you try signing up for the Academy?” Lydia asked. Ben froze, panic clear like a startled bird. Klaus’s body tensed.

Chuck snorted. “‘Course not. You think I’d handle the superhero life?”

Klaus and Ben let out relieved sighs. Ben tugged his long sleeve shirt further over his wrists, hiding the umbrella tattoo.

She shrugged. “Touché.”

A cart was wheeled beside the table and four trays of food was plopped down in front of them. Lydia’s eyes dimmed and her gaze went far away from the sludge in front of her. Klaus curled a lip at the “food”.

“Ew, who would want to eat this stuff?” he gagged.

“I’ve been eating stuff like this for months now, Klaus,” Ben reminded gently as he picked up a spoon and dug into the mush they call food around here.

“It’s still nasty.”

“Ben,” Chuck said, and Ben looked up from the grey sludge, green beans, and small portion of toast on the tray. Chuck shoved his food around, organising it so nothing touched one another before he continued. “Why can only you talk to Klaus?”

“Wow, so blunt,” Klaus huffed.

“Chuck, be nice!” Lydia hissed. 

Chuck blushed. “What? Gin said Klaus was Ben’s brother, but I don’t see him anywhere. Is he like an imaginary friend, but a brother?”

“Close but no dice,” Kalus said. “You gonna tell ‘em, Benny?”

“Klaus is my dead brother,” Ben said.

“Oh,” Lydia curled into herself and brushed some of her uneven bangs back, revealing a patchy brow. “Sorry.”

Her personality seemed to have switched entirely, and Klaus was a little baffled by it.

“It’s fine,” Ben shrugged. “He haunts me even after death, the prick.”

“Hey!” Klaus pouted. “You wouldn’t last a day without me.”

Ben chuckled.

“Remind me your name again?” she asked softly. 

Ben frowned but complied. “Ben.”

“Right,” she nodded. “I’m Beth.”

“Oh, hi Beth!” Gin grinned wide. “Lydia was here for a while, and Chuck and I were worried about you.”

“Oh dear,” Beth bit her lip. “I hope she didn’t make anyone uncomfortable.”

Gin shook their head. “Not at all. Feeling better?”

Beth nodded, and Klaus thought maybe he was understanding what was going on. Maybe.

“Oh,” Beth smiled and picked up her spoon. “I like stroganoff. We’ll have to thank the chefs later.”

Gin nodded along. “Sounds like a good idea.”

“Stroganoff?” Klaus looked at the grey sludge. “Is that what that is? I’ve seen it made better than _this_.”

“Well, I’m sure they had to cut the pieces of meat and noodles smaller so we didn’t have to use forks,” Ben waved the spoon. “This is a hospital, Klaus, you think they’ll give us knives and forks?”

Klaus waved his hands around. “But you can still make it _look_ good! It’s all about the _presentation_ , Benji.”

“So you talk to Klaus often?” Beth asked, and Klaus shuddered as she _willingly_ put that slop in her mouth. _Disgusting_.

“He won’t leave me be, so I guess, yeah,” Ben rolled his eyes. 

Klaus snorted. “You know you love me.”

“Is that the term? I would have said tolerated, but whatever makes you feel better.”

With a dramatic gasp, Klaus fluttered a hand to his chest. “Just for that, I’m not stealing you an extra roll.”

“You can’t touch things, Klaus.”

“You don’t know. Maybe I’ve been practicing.”

It was true. Klaus _had_ been practicing to see what his limits were. So far, he had scared a nurse with a lightswitch, and had been able to feel Ben’s hair for half a second. It wasn’t much, but if he was able to interact with the world, then maybe he could bust Ben out of this place.

He didn’t know he could do this until recently (about a month ago). In a fit of rage, over the doctor they met their first week giving Ben an antipsychotic, Klaus had knocked the cup from the doctor’s grasp and into the wall, discovering he could interact with the physical plane. Both the doctor and Ben had no idea that he was the one to do it (the doctor thought it was unsteady hands and Ben wasn’t even there).

Klaus had no idea just how far his powers could reach. Ben could always see him now, even if he was a little fuzzy because of any drugs they put in his brother’s system. Klaus had also been able to talk to another patient (at least for a little while), which was incredible progress. 

(He didn’t want to think about the interaction with Diego. He _didn’t_.)

“He’s always there, huh?” Beth asked with a smile, and Klaus was drawn back into the conversation. “That must be nice. If you don’t mind me asking . . . how did he die?”

Ah, touchy subject, that. Ben tensed noticeably, and Klaus hovered at his shoulder, concerned.

Beth backtracked, “It’s alright, if you don’t want to say.” She played with a lock of messy brown hair. “It’s just . . . I lost my sister, too. It, um . . . it wasn’t good. She and I were close, and if I could see her all the time, I would be so happy. So . . .” she trailed off, not sure what else to say.

“It’s okay,” Ben said, hunching forwards. “It wasn’t good.”

She nodded and hesitated for a moment, then brought her hand down on Ben’s, giving it a light squeeze. “If it’s okay, you’re welcome to talk to me about it. I understand.”

Ben’s eyes watered, and he gave a shaky nod. Klaus smiled softly. 

“Me too,” Chuck butted in. “I may not really get it, but you can talk to me about stuff. And we still need to get you into Star Trek!”

Ben huffed and rubbed at his eyes.

“Losing someone you love is hard, even if you still see them,” Gin wisely said. “We’ll be here for you to fall back on.”

“Thanks,” Ben blushed and smiled wetly at his mush. 

Klaus chuckled. “I kinda like these guys.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!! <3
> 
> Edit: Thank you so much for the fanart, crystalrainwing!! I finally figured out how to post pictures on here hahaha

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [lil sketches of the gang](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27029434) by [crystalrainwing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/crystalrainwing/pseuds/crystalrainwing)




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